Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/21/2024 Gr 4–7—Mei Ying is keeping busy during the summer before fifth grade. Between Mandarin lessons, soccer, and hanging out with her best friend, Kirra, she barely has time to worry about the upcoming school year. When her grandma Nai Nai visits from Taiwan, Mei is unsure what to expect, but they bond over cooking traditional Chinese dishes and practicing tai chi together. Once Nai Nai returns to Taiwan and the new school year begins, Mei is eager to interact with her peers, but has not anticipated the microaggressions directed at her because of her cultural background. A classmate, Sid, makes it his goal to bully Mei on a daily basis. Outside of school, she faces similar taunts from store clerks and soccer teammates' parents. As she retreats into herself and becomes despondent, she recalls the cultural pride Nai Nai shared with her. Boosted up by this internal strength, Mei stands tall, creating a class project that celebrates her background, the food, and the language of her family. Touching on the real issues of discrimination and bullying, the story delivers important lessons while remaining entertaining; middle grade readers will certainly identify with Mei's insecurities. With clean, aesthetically pleasing line drawings and endearing, witty dialogue, the author communicates her message purposefully and the emotions and actions of fifth graders are relatable and authentic. The book also features LGBTQIA+ representation through Kirra, who has two dads. VERDICT Readers will learn the meaning of tolerance and empathy through this compelling story of a student who is trying to balance the desire to fit in with respecting her family background.—Karin Greenberg - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2024 *Starred Review* Best-selling picture-book illustrator Tsong makes her middle-grade graphic novel debut with an extraordinary, multilayered, and empathic story about being a Taiwanese American tween. Two weeks before summer vacation ends, Mei Ying’s nai nai arrives from Taiwan for her first-ever U.S. visit. Years of Chinese school aside, language is initially an issue—Tsong cleverly turns text bubbles yellow to denote non-English conversations—but Nai Nai and Mei Ying quickly grow close through morning tai chi and cooking delectable delights. Nai Nai’s too-soon departure is tempered by Mei Ying’s anticipation for the new school year. Microaggressions, alas, are immediate: “I love working with Chinese students. You’re all such hard workers,” the tone-deaf teacher quips. Meanwhile, new kid Sid proves himself to be a racist bully. Bff Kirra’s dismissive “Don’t be so sensitive!” only makes Mei Ying feel invisible. She’ll need to channel her inner strength, unleash her outside voice, and courageously confront her attackers. Tsong’s panels and pages are a continuously marvelous reveal, dramatically enlivened by washes of sunny yellow for Nai Nai’s visit, warning reds as Mei Ying struggles at school, turning to shades of blended orange, green, and occasional full-color as she grows into her best advocate. Tsong brilliantly enhances the familiar POC identity narrative with cultural discovery and pride, familial expectations, friendship hiccups, difficult reality, new resilience, and unexpected, delicious joys. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.